Baylor Edges Oklahoma In Thrilling Big 12 Showdown

Baylor Edges Oklahoma In Thrilling Big 12 Showdown...

Baylor narrowly defeated Oklahoma 78-75 in a high-stakes Big 12 basketball matchup late Thursday night, keeping their NCAA tournament hopes alive. The game, played at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas, drew national attention as both teams fought for conference positioning ahead of March Madness.

Freshman guard Jason Carter led Baylor with 22 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 1:12 remaining. Oklahoma's senior forward Mark Williams countered with a career-high 28 points, but missed a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.

The rivalry game is trending today as college basketball fans debate tournament seeding implications. Baylor (22-9) now moves into third place in the Big 12 standings, while Oklahoma (20-11) faces increased pressure in their final regular season game.

ESPN's Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi updated his projections Friday morning, moving Baylor up to a 5-seed while dropping Oklahoma to the 7-line. The Sooners must win their season finale against Texas Tech to avoid slipping into bubble territory.

Social media erupted after the game, particularly over a controversial no-call on Oklahoma's final possession. Big 12 officials released a statement Friday acknowledging the play should have resulted in free throws.

Both teams await their conference tournament matchups, which begin Wednesday in Kansas City. Baylor will face either TCU or Texas, while Oklahoma draws Kansas State in what amounts to an elimination game for NCAA tournament consideration.